Pickled Dried Fruits & Nuts

1. Cut the almonds into large pieces. Pour rum over the raisins, lemon peel, and orange peel. Leave them at room temperature until ready to use, allowing them to absorb the rum.

Stollen Dough

1. Warm the milk to lukewarm temperature and add the instant dry yeast. Mix them together.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the bread flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, salt, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and eggs. Add the milk and instant dry yeast mixture from earlier.
3. Mix until the dough comes together. If the dough is too soft, add more bread flour. If the dough is too stiff, add more milk as needed.
4. Add softened butter gradually to the dough, mixing well after each addition.
5. Knead the dough for about 7-8 minutes until it becomes shiny and no longer sticks to your hands when touched.
6. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead it to form a ball. Place the dough in a bowl lightly coated with oil, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it ferment in a warm place for at least 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
7. Divide the marzipan into two portions and roll each portion into a log shape about 20cm / 8-inch long.
8. Take the dough out onto a floured surface. Roll out the dough into a square shape and place half of the dried fruits and almonds on top. (Do not add the rum that was not absorbed by the dried fruits to the dough.)
9. Fold the dough over the dried fruits and nuts, as if you're wrapping them, and then roll it out again into a square shape. Place the remaining dried fruits and nuts on top. Fold the dough over them in the same manner. Divide the dough into two equal portions.
10. Roll out one portion of the dough into a rectangle shape, approximately 20cm x 15cm (8" x 6"). Place the marzipan in the center of the dough.
11. Fold the dough in half, wrapping the marzipan inside. When folding, slightly offset the edges.
12. Then fold over the excess dough slightly and form a groove in the overlapping area. (Use the sides of your hands to form the grooves more clearly.)
13. Place the shaped dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat the same process with the remaining dough and place it on the baking sheet, keeping some distance between them.
14. Let the shaped dough proof for about 30 minutes in a warm place until it becomes puffy and doubles in size.
15. Bake in a preheated oven at 175°C (350°F) for about 30 to 35 minutes. While it's baking, prepare the melted butter and powdered sugar.
16. When baked, brush the surface with melted butter while still hot. Sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.